Beijing: China has conducted a massive military exercise in the high altitude Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, close to the disputed borders with India, during which it has for the first time tested the multi-role J-10 fighter jets.

The People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force have conducted ground attack training over the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, the "first operation of its kind", official media here reported.

According to a report and photos released by a newspaper on Wednesday, the ground crew of J-10 regiment fuelled the fighters and loaded ammunition on the 3,500-meter-high plateau at temperatures below -20 C.

The fighters scrambled and attacked the targets with conventional as well as laser-guided bombs.

Sorties were made both during the day and at night, the report said.

It was the second time that the official media released photos of the home made J-10 fighter using laser-guided bombs.

The exercises were highlighted on Thursday by another daily.

The rare display of the news about exercises was seen as a message to the Indian side, which is also beefing up its border regions along the Line of Actual Control, (LAC) by deploying its top end fighter aircraft.

The J-10, which was also being sold to Pakistan, took part in exercises in October last conducted by PIA incorporating air forces and air defence units as well as armour and artillery units in Tibet Autonomous Region.

"The J-10 fighter was initially designed as an air superiority fighter, focusing on air combat and interception capability.

"But with modern sensors, avionics and land attack munitions, it can also perform well in ground attack roles," Bai Wei, former deputy chief editor of Aviation World Monthly told the newspaper.